Titans Drop Four-Game Set to UC Irvine

Fullerton, Calif. - Brittany Moore and Jennifer Francisco each had 16 kills, but Cal State Fullerton could not push past first-place UC Irvine in a 3-1 loss to the Anteaters in Big West Conference action Thursday night at Titan Gym.

Irvine improves to 15-6, 5-1, while Fullerton falls to 8-9 overall, 3-3 in league play.

The Titans out-blocked the Anteaters 17.0-6.0, and out-hit them as a team, .236-.188, but Irvine put the ball away when it counted for the 30-24, 16-30, 32-30, 30-28 win. Sarah Day was strong for Fullerton at the net, tallying a game-high eight blocks , two of them solo, with Erin Saddler (7) and Alex Wolnisty (6) in tow.

Irvine's Kari Pestolesi led all players with 23 kills, putting up a double-double with 13 digs as well. Devon Sutherland led all players with 29 digs for the Anteaters.

Fullerton dominated in game two, hitting .351 while Irvine was in the red at -.023. The Titans rallied for seven straight points with Moore at the service line at one point and opened up to their biggest lead of the night at 20-10

But it was in game number three the tide turned in favor of the visiting Eaters. The Titans held a 29-26 lead and wer on the brink of going up 2-1 on the match, but UCI converted on six of the next seven rallies to take the game 32-30.

The Titans continue their home stand Friday night as UC Riverside comes to town for another Big West Conference match-up beginning at 7 p.m.